Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-14
OPENING DAY
OF the Los Angeles Uni
versity.
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
He Says That Education and
Religion Should Go
Together.
OPENING DAY
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS

Ah olAO thu VI tliC COllCSC
ing. A year and a half ago, the idea
of establishing Baptist College O.
learning in this city was first con
ceived, and, although very difficult
task, the work has been so energetic.
ally pushed forward that now the
building is completed and fully fin.
ished. 1t is a commodious, majestic.
looking brick structure, standing on
an eminence on the West End tract
1t is three stories in height, sur
mounted by handsome dome, in
which hangs a large brass bell. 1t
contains twenty rooms, besides the
culinary department, on the third
floor, the floor of which is made OF
stone, so that it will be very easy
matter to keep it in cleanly condi-
tlon. On the first floor are the double
parlors, elegantly furnished with
everything necessary for comfort, the
chapel and exhibition hall and the
library.
On the second floor the boys and
girls sleeping departments are located.
On the top floor are number of large,
we'll ventilated class-rooms. The
building is elegantly furnished
throughout, and everything is arranged
on a plan of comfort. Yesterday
morning the spacious building was
thrown open for inspection, and as a
result early in the morning it was
thronged with visitors. A large num-
Der of carriages connected with the
Sixth and Second-street car lines, and
the visitors were comfortably driven
to the college. The exhibition hall
was crowded. The exercises opened
with an invocation by Rev. T. N.
Lord. Then came a piano solo, bv
Miss Grace Hubbard. The introduce
tory oration,. by Rev. w. H. Pendle-
ton, followed. "The completion of
this building" began the speaker,
"and the opening of this school of
higher education, rejecting so much
of honor on its projectors and
its contributors, eloquently voices
from these surrounding hills our re-
sponse to the demand of the advanced
age in which it is our honored pride to
live. In no preceding generation has
the cry been SO universal among all
classes for open, unrestricted paths to
the temple of learning. The sky, sea,
vale and hills conspire to-day to voice
to our gladstone hearts natures own
reward of recognition. Not this only
The circumambient air is filled with
mingling voices from all over this Won
derful land of all the earth. On the
sea and mountain-girt section of our
Union has dawned new and unpre-
cedented day. Its risen sun is stead
lily advancing toward common noon
tide of unparalleled splendor. 1t is
being filled with marvellous rapidity
with active, intelligent life. Towns
are forming, people are gather
ing and from all climes, cities
are enlargIng, and homes are
being established in numbers well
nigh incredible.
"Whatever of corrective influence
over the perversely wayward educa-
ton may exert, it is incomplete
when separated from religion. 1t is
often made the subject of saddening
remark that our State universities so
few, if any, of them fail at graduating
and giving to our American citizen
ship infidels, skeptics and non-religion-
lists. Education singlehanded is over
matched in the struggle against evil.
We hesitate not to make the declara-
ton for it is undisputable the only
force that can cope with this mighty
power is that which true religion sup
plies in the wholesome fear and the
persuasive love of Almighty God"
s. M. Davidson, chairman of the
building committee in few remarks
reviewed the hardships which were
encountered to perfect the erection OF
the college. He handed the key OF
the institution to the chairman of the
Board of Trustees, Rev. Charles Button.
He responded, and in turn, handed
the emblem of authority to Rev. Will
liam Shelton, the newly elected Presi-
dent of the College.
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
The President responded as follows
at is impossible for me to express the
feelings with which l stand in your
presence to-day. 1t is said of Edward
Burke, one of the greatest of English
statesmen and most eloquent of Eng
ish orators, that when called on to de-
liver an address ON the occasion of his
election to the office of Lord Regent of
the University of Glasgow, he hesi-
tated, faltered and for time remained
silent on account of the throngin2 emo
tions which rushed through his mind.
With feelings similar to these, stand
In your presence on this occasion and
enter upon the address which intro
duces me to the responsible work that
lies before me as President of the Los
Angeles University. The
INFLUENCE OF SCHOOLS
Has been co-extensive with the diffu-
sion of knowledge. Not more truly
has the Bible been the ever-accom-
panying companion of religion and
virtue, than institutions of learning
have gone hand in hand with intelli-
gence and civilization. When ancient
Greece was the seat of her classic
schools she was also the nursery OF
literary science and art. The light of
learning emanating from the illustri-
GUS schools of Athens, and spreading
thence over Greece and over the whole
Roman Empire, was the source Of
ancient classic civilization, and sup.
piled at last the foundation on which
was reared in after ages the higher
christian civilization of modern times
When the countless hordes of North.
ern barbarians overwhelmed the Ro.
man Empire and extinguished the
light of the ancient schools the light
of learning was extinguished also, and
the world was left, for time, in intel
lectual darkness. But in the lapse oi
revolving years it came to pass that
learning and religion, which, though
snothered under the ruins of the an
cient civilization were not entirely ex-
tinguished, again rose upon the world
and, while schools were re-established
and the Bible was dug up from the
rubbish of ages, in which it